If you’re shopping for an air purifier, you might be realizing that some manufacturers are making lots of claims. And some of those claims could appear too good to be true. So, it’s only natural that you may be questioning are air purifiers a waste of money.

They’re useful, according to the EPA, as they’re a fantastic approach to better your Wausau residence’s indoor air quality. Today’s residences are tightly sealed and thoroughly insulated, which is excellent for energy efficiency, but not so good for indoor air quality.

As newer houses don’t typically let in as much fresh air as old residences, contaminants including dust, pet dander and cleaning products can build up in your home. The result? Air that’s more contaminated than the outdoors, which is bad news if you are dealing with allergies, asthma or are susceptible to respiratory irritation.

Our indoor air quality specialists at Gilray Heating and Cooling can help you cut through the clutter and select the best home air purifier. Just contact us at 715-301-0727 and we’ll be happy to assist you. For now, find out more about how air purifiers work, their advantages and our suggestions to help you choose the best air purifier.

How Do Air Purifiers Work?

Most home air purifiers use a fan to pull in air. Then, the air passes through one or more filters to catch irritants before being redistributed.

These filters may include a charcoal filter, to get rid of odors, and a HEPA, or high efficiency particulate air, filter. A HEPA filter is at least 99.7% effective at capturing tiny particles as little as .3 microns, like dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.

An air purifier can be compact and used to treat a single space. Or they can be fitted to your HVAC system, providing strong filtration for your complete house.

The EPA says you should know that air purifiers can’t get rid of 100% of the contaminants from your residence’s air. But when used along with an enhanced filter for your HVAC system, they can greatly reduce the concentration of indoor air pollution.

4 Pluses of an Air Purifier

Adding an air purifier to your residence can deliver many outstanding health pluses. Here are just a few of them.

1. Lowers Allergy and Asthma Triggers

Air purifiers lower pollutants in your home, including some of these common triggers:

  • Dust
  • Pollen
  • Mold
  • Volatile organic compounds, such as cleaners, air fresheners and personal care products

2. Reduces Other Problems Related to Poor Indoor Air Quality

Even if you or someone in your household doesn’t experience allergies or asthma, an air purifier can lower other troubles related to low indoor air quality. These include:

  • Scratchy throat, eyes, nose or skin
  • Headaches
  • Sneezing and coughing
  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea

It can be hard to distinguish issues related to indoor air quality, as they can be caused by a lot of other illnesses. However, if you’re observing that symptoms lessen after you leave home, your indoor air quality is possibly causing the issue.

3. Gets Rid of Odors

Odors that hang around, like cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tough to get rid of. If you having difficulties with removing heavy smells in your house, our professionals recommend purchasing an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.

4. Can Lower Your Chance of Becoming Sick

An air purifier can remove some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your household healthier particularly during colder months. To take complete advantage of this benefit, our professionals advise a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light gives an additional layer of protection against airborne pathogens.

Air Purifiers to Avoid

You’re better off without certain air purifiers. Here are several features to avoid when choosing a system for your residence:

  • Produces ozone. Some air purifiers produce ozone, which can bother your lungs. The EPA suggests avoiding ozone air purifiers.
  • Doesn’t use HEPA filters. For the best filtration, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Considered the gold standard for pure air, HEPA filters are used in many healthcare settings, such as hospitals.
  • Only purifies an individual room. We suggest installing a whole-house air purifier, which purifies the air across your home. This style runs in tandem with your HVAC system.

When you call the indoor air quality experts at Gilray Heating and Cooling, we make it easy to buy the best air purifier for your house. Contact us at 715-301-0727 to get started breathing cleaner air right away!